I have a W C Scott & Son 8 gauge,that I have been thinking about having professionally restored. The bores are perfect, lever right of center and on face. Just a great old gun.The Damascus barrel finish is very faded. The wood, although in excellent condition has no finish and the wood is almost black, and checkering is worn. The wood when taken out in the sun is spectacular with lots of fire and covered in small Birdseye's. I would like some recommendations on who in the states can do the wood and the barrels. I plan on leaving the rest of the metal alone. Possible the barrels to one Smith and the wood to another if needed.
I also would like to know if there are any records on these old guns?
Also any idea on what type of wood was used on these guns?
Thanks Phil
Phil: W&C SCOTT & SON was absorbed by Atkin, Grant & Lang now owned by our fellow board member Diggory Hadoke. If there are surviving records for your gun, he would, probably, have them. "BRITISH GUNMAKERS VOLUME II" lists W&C SCOTT years of manufacture by serial number from 1865 thru 1971. It also states that the records are now in the possession of Richard Gallyon who can be contacted at Tel 01953 850215 FAX 01953 851800.
It's a long way to South Carolina from Tucson but Jim Kelly of Darlington Gun Works, Darlington, SC has just completed complete restoration of my E.M. Reilly 4-bore double including rebrowning of the barrels and refreshing the wood. His phone number is Area Code 843 393-3931. He is the only one that I personally know that I would trust to restore a good gun.
Best Regards, George
I'd send the barrels to Buck Hamlin...
Abe Chaber in CT specializes in stock making and refinishing, 203-748-1830
For rebrowning the damascus barrels I would get in touch with Craig Smith at Circle Fly Wads.
http://www.circlefly.com/
Why do you want to refinish it? All that benefits is the gunsmith.
For the most part, it will not increase the gun's value.
Why wipe away all its history? Why not leave the finish alone, repair it mechanically, and be done with it?
The gun's finish is its history.
Refinished, it's just another refinished gun.
BTW: no one can make it look "new". It will look refinished.
OWD
Thanks for the feed feedback and information. I realize that restoration is a sensitive subject. Not all would agree that a gun should be altered in any way. I am fortunate to own several shotguns, I would never think of restoring, and others that I have had freshened up.
This is a great gun, but I know of nothing of the providence. The gun was used and well kept, but the wonderful wood and Damascus are a far cry from its days of glory.I shoot this gun and will continue to do so. It has been my understanding that most English guns were regularly sent out to be to be restored. I would like to think that the former owner that bought this wonderful shooter would have appreciated it getting freshened up.
I do not think it is a stretch to imagine that he might have done so himself had the distance not been so far.
I hope to soon have the ruling changed prohibiting the use of the 8 gauge for hunting in Arizona. Our Governor has a moratorium on all rule changes as a cost cutting measure. Once this moratorium is lifted on rule changes,I hope the ruling will be reversed, as it now has the support of the AZ Game and Fish commission.
I have now set a goal to be the first person in modern times to take a turkey with an 8 gauge in Arizona.
I thought I would share some information on this gun and will provide pictures later, once I have an opportunity to take some decent pictures.
The S/N is 34415. It has 34 1/4" Damascus barrels. The gun weighs in at an even 12 lbs. There is a Swan engraved on the frame along with scroll work. Barrels are chocked .804 in both barrels. I shot it recently patterned it shooting 5 shots from each barrel at 30 yards using 1 3/4 oz of #2's. The pattern was such that less than 6 pellets were out side the circle, and the pattern was not only centered but very evenly distributed.
None of the guns I have owned have patterned as nice.
Thanks again for the interest and sharing of your knowledge.
Phil
I see no reason not to remove the oil stain from the wood. It is not expensive to do it yourself. there are posting on this subject that I have followed with success. You will enjoy watching the wood come to life. David
I'd love to see some pictures of the gun.
I think any work done to a gun like that should only be done by the best craftsman out there.
I agree both with Joe & OWD. Only go with the best restorers or don't restore at all. I, too, would love to see some pictures of your gun.
Best Regards, George
I agree both with Joe & OWD. Only go with the best restorers or don't restore at all. I, too, would love to see some pictures of your gun.
Best Regards, George
"I have now set a goal to be the first person in modern times to take a turkey with an 8 gauge in Arizona. "
How would you ever verify that? Better yet, I assure you plenty of game is taken every year in your state with an 8....just not everyone is announcing it.
GregSy, I think he must have meant..."I have now set a goal to be the first person in modern times to LEGALLY take a turkey with an 8 gauge in Az."
Best regards,
GregSY, thanks for helping to clarify this point. Since it is currently illegal to hunt with an 8 gauge in Arizona, being legal would be part of that goal.
Yes, I could have shot a turkey with my 8 gauge last year but I try to follow the game laws, even if I do not agree. The desire to hunt legally is what sent me in the direction to meet with the AZ Game and Fish Commission on October 9 2009.
George and Joe, I will post some pictures Thursday night when I get my camera back.
Thanks Phil
Phil,
I've seen the gun and I'd leave it alone. It's a dandy and fine just the way it sits.
Destry
I don't think there's a thing wrong with getting the barrels re-browned or the wood finish touched up as long as it's done proper.
Proper barrel browning and wood finish serves as much to protect the gun as it does to beautify.
Leave it alone!
Just kidding. I just prefer the vintage look.
Can we see it?
OWD
Phil.
I have a Scott in 12ga that is S/N 34599. It was made in 1884.
I don't know if the s/n range held true for all gauges but maybe they were.
Hope this helps.
Regards, Gordon
K&J It looks like our guns may have been on the floor together in 1884. I will post pictures later this week. Anyone else have a swan engraved on their gun?
Mine has aa swan engraved on one lock plate.
Regards, Gordon
Excellent, please post pictures and I will do the same Thursday night.I bet these guns are identical in engraving.
Thanks Phil
You folks that are so against "freshening up" an old gun, why not put your money where your mouth is and offer to buy the gun from Phil (I'm absolutely certain there's some price at which he'd sell it). Then you can keep the poor old tired looking thing as an eyesore in your gun case.
Steve
Phil knows I'd be a customer on the gun if he's ever ready to sell it so my money is already there.
Destry
Mine,Actually both are restored and I enjoy them. A few years ago a frind and I shot them in the flurry event at the Vintage Cup. We didn't score high but loading and pulling the hammers back was a real hoot.
Regards, Gordon
If it were for sale, I would be interested. However, I don't think it's for sale.
BTW: does it look like this 10 gauge Scott:
Thanks
OWD
OWD the Swan looks the same my engraving is different. I promise to post pictures tomorrow.
Destry the gun is yours if I sell. That said a turkey hunt is destined for the gun first. Also a Sandhill crane hunt. Now there is a hunt. Able to shoot cranes with lead shot, now all I need is the OK on the 8 gauge. The 10 gauge lead loads you gave me last year did the trick, even if it was with my restored DH Parker.
OK, I know I should not have restored it but......
Phil,
Nice looking Parker! As someone else on this board once said, "Life's to short to hunt with an ugly gun!"
Steve
O-W-B I may currently be a geologist but in a former life I spent 5 years in sales. Anything's for sale, it's just a matter of price.
Did I mention how envious I was of those three cranes when I was out there? I had my chance though, on that pair that swung the decoys out in the desert, I just didn't connect.
Hopefully we're able to get together in January for some quail like we discussed.
Was out this morning for the first day of the early goose season in Ontario. Three of us managed to kill 15 but should of all had limits, just a little rookie shooting but that always happens.
The youngest of the bunch got two banded birds, I was envious of those too. But I've killed my share and he's only got two so I can't make too much medicine against him. Out again in the morning so maybe my turn is coming.
Wish I'd have had the big Churchill and lead shells in hand but I was stuck with the Parker magnum 10 gauge Federal Tungsten Polymer.
Destry
Some reason I'm getting the impression that this is a rehearsed play you and Destry are putting on for the rest of us.
Joe, You are not correct in that assumption. I started out looking for recommendations for someone to restore. Nothing has changed. I am late to the game as far as SxS shotguns are concerned when compared to the knowledge of many of you. For this reason I ask questions and enjoy the friendship and knowledge available on these sites. That said, I can comfortably state I hunt more than most, living in Arizona for over 50 years where we have liberal game seasons. Over the past 5 or 6 years I became very interested in vintage SxS and have had the pleasure to have met and hunted with several of the members on Forum. Destry being one of them. No game playing here. I enjoy this forum and do not want to get caught up in any of the banter that results in some ugly comments. We can close this subject. If there are any members who still have recommendations on someone to restore please PM me. I appreciate all of the recommendations and the debate on whether to restore or not.
Thanks Phil
Nice looking gun. Looks like a medium grade, all original, with lots of honest vintage finish.
I bet it would look a lot nicer after a full, tear-down strip and clean.
I think the engraved swan is a kind of field guide to what you're supposed to shoot with it.
Thanks for sharing. Some of us appreciate it.
OWD
Philip
My second Scott has the same Swan on the left lock plate just like yours. My first one has a goose on the right lock plate.
I would post some pics but I am really computer challenged.
Send me a PM and I will send you some pics.
gdisharoon@allianzmadvac.com
Regards, Gordon
Joe,
Phil and I are friends and I was just commenting on his gun since I've actually seen it. I'm sure that's hard for you to understand as my guess is you don't have too many, friends that is......
DLH
Phil....... beauty of a gun! Good luck with the restoration. It'll turn out super im sure.
Dont let jOe under ya skin, he's a jackass!
BTW: check out these pics. This looks like it's almost the same grade, but in a 12g.
OWD
OWD
That is the same gun as my two. How old is yours?
Regards, Gordon
OWD: You shouldda bought the DOUGALL punt gun. Any thing internally wrong can be fixed (externally it looked fine)
At $2,500 you had a lot of room for fixing.
BTW I just picked up the E.M. Reilly 4-bore that you put me on to from Jim Kelly. It wasn't cheap to restore but it was worth it. It is STUNNING! THANKS! I'm going to try to post some pictures.
Best Regards, George
K & J-
I think that one is from around 1883 or so. It's pretty much new and it has it's original hang tag and retailer's case with label.
Very cool.
George - yeah, I guess I should have bought it. Oh well.
OWD
